Orange Almond Chocolate Cookies (Printable Version)
Zesty orange, crunchy almonds, and rich dark chocolate chunks baked into soft, chewy cookies.
# Ingredient List:
→ Dry Ingredients
01 - 2 cups all-purpose flour
02 - 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
03 - 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
04 - 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
→ Wet Ingredients
05 - 3/4 cup unsalted butter, softened
06 - 3/4 cup granulated sugar
07 - 1/2 cup light brown sugar, packed
08 - 2 large eggs
09 - 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
10 - Zest of 2 oranges
→ Add-ins
11 - 1 cup chopped roasted almonds
12 - 1 1/4 cups dark chocolate chunks or chips
# How to Make:
01 - Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
02 - In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.
03 - In a large bowl, beat the softened butter, granulated sugar, and brown sugar with an electric mixer until light and fluffy, about 2 to 3 minutes.
04 - Beat in the eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Stir in the vanilla extract and orange zest.
05 - Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture, mixing just until combined. Do not overmix.
06 - Using a spatula, gently fold in the chopped almonds and chocolate chunks until evenly distributed.
07 - Scoop tablespoon-sized mounds of dough onto the prepared baking sheets, spacing them about 2 inches apart.
08 - Bake for 10 to 12 minutes, until the edges are golden but the centers remain soft.
09 - Let the cookies rest on the baking sheets for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
# Expert Tips:
01 -
- The orange zest perfumes the entire cookie without needing any fancy extracts or oils, and it balances the dark chocolate beautifully.
- Crunchy roasted almonds hiding inside a chewy cookie create the kind of texture contrast that keeps people reaching back into the jar.
02 -
- If you overbake these by even a couple of minutes the chewy center disappears and you end up with crunchy discs instead of that perfect soft middle.
- Resting the dough in the fridge for thirty minutes before scooping helps the flour hydrate and prevents the cookies from spreading too thin.
03 -
- Grate your orange zest directly over the sugar bowl and rub it in with your fingers so the essential oils coat every crystal before you even start creaming.
- Chop your chocolate from a bar instead of using chips because the irregular shards melt into gorgeous puddles that chips simply cannot replicate.